Victorians! discussion

I must start this with an apology--I am behind right now. I'm going to try to have the chapter post ready by Tuesday. I am so sorry, but I'm in the middle of my grad school program exam, which consists of three research papers written in one week (due Friday morning), and my favorite uncle passed away suddenly on Friday, so we are traveling out of town for the funeral. If you wish to post your thoughts and comments on the chapters, please go ahead! I will catch up after we get home from the funeral. Again, I am very sorry!

My thoughts are with you, Cindy. Real life takes precedence over goodreads. Do what you need to do and we will carry on.

I’m so sorry about your uncle ! Please take care of yourself and take all the time you need.

No need to apologise, Cindy - family must always come first. I am so sorry for your loss.

Sorry to hear of your loss, Cindy. Take your time and take care of yourself.

My prayers are with you and your family, Cindy.

Honestly, Cindy, it was so generous for you to think of the group when there’s so much going on. Please take care, be safe, take your time, and know that we are thinking of you and your family.

I'm so sorry about your uncle, Cindy, take care...

So sorry to hear this, Cindy. Don't worry about our schedule. I think that if there is something we must learn from he times we are living, it is that our plans can be disrupted any moment!

Thank you so much for your understanding! I had really hoped to have caught up before now, but finishing those research papers almost did me in. I'm starting to feel somewhat emotionally recovered from last week, so let's dive back into our gothic tale.

Agnes has taken up residence in Ireland with the family of her dear friend Adela, as the prospective governess to her children. Adela is secretly conspiring with her brother-in-law, Henry, to help him win Agnes's hand in marriage. Chapter XIII sees the departure of the widowed Lady Montbarry, along with her "brother," Baron Rivar, for America. Agnes is still trying to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Mr. Ferrarri and is able to resume this investigation when one of the other servants in the household from which he disappeared suddenly appears on their doorstep, requesting a reference. The maid can shed no light on Mr. Ferrarri's fate but does reveal that his character may have been questionable.

The employment reference supplied by Lady Montbarry for the former maid leads Agnes further down the path to the foretold trip to Venice. Lady Montbarry's nephew falls in live with the charming niece of the maid's new employer, Mrs. Carbury. The young couple quickly marry and their wedding trip takes them to, of course, Venice. We can see fate inexorably drawing Agnes to Venice as the Montbarrys first reverse their position on traveling to that city, and then on having the children join them.

In Chapter XVI, the persistent Henry renews his courtship of Agnes but makes little progress. She seems impervious to his advances, but his sister-in-law counsels patience, unwilling to abandon hope that her dear friend might one day become her sister. We're left with plenty of foreshadowing and a brief but disturbing telegram from Henry, announcing that he has suddenly and inexplicably left the Hotel in Venice. Why? What has caused this abrupt change of plans?

So what do you think about the developments in the story? Is the suspense growing? I am a big horror story fan, and I'm enjoying this fledgling scary story. I love Collins' writing and appreciate watching him help to break ground in this genre.

I am planning to post the next installment by Friday, then be back on track by Sunday. Is that okay with everyone?

The title is a clue to something strange about the hotel-hopefully it doesn't drive the customers away.

I'm sorry I finished the novel, I found it hard to read it slowly - but don't worry, I won't spoil !

I finished it too. I really wanted to know how it would end since it was getting very suspenseful.

I've finished the novel too. It got so intriguing in the middle that I didn't want to stop.

What I found really interesting in this section was how Agnes despite her reluctance to go anywhere near Lord Montbarry's place of death became a party to the trip to Venice. It was as if she were drawn there by fate to prove something.

Piyangie wrote: "What I found really interesting in this section was how Agnes despite her reluctance to go anywhere near Lord Montbarry's place of death became a party to the trip to Venice. It was as if she were ..."

Yes, Piyangie, I agree. I think Collins plays heavily on the idea that these two women are being drawn inexorably together to share in a fate that they can do nothing to avoid. Although both go to different countries and put thousands of miles of physical distance between themselves, circumstances will inevitably force them to meet again. I guess if you're talking about a horror story, that is one level of fearful speculation--what if we do not control our own destinies? What if our choices are not choices at all, but merely steps in a preordained pattern?

Rosemarie wrote: "The title is a clue to something strange about the hotel-hopefully it doesn't drive the customers away."

It sounds as though there are several choices as to who might be the specter who haunts the hotel--or possibly it is not just one!

I've also finished. I was almost at the end, and so couldn't wait to see what happened!

Once you get to a certain point, it is almost impossible to stop reading. It has a very dramatic ending!